Figuring It Out
by Nightlingbolt
Summary: Natsu needs to find out where he stands with Erza. Erza needs to confront her feelings for Jellal in the face of a night with Natsu. Lucy needs to somehow reconcile her boyfriend with her guild. They're three intelligent mages. They can figure it out, right? M for mature themes, NatsuxErza, StingxLucy. Largely romance, alternates between humor and drama.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome to my newest offering, Figuring It Out!**

**I know, I know, you guys are expecting DFTRM. Well, the thing is, I only just started on Chapter Five around Memorial Day, and I was in kind of a funk at that time. Honestly, I still am, since I recently experienced an incident that I feel has roots in my school years, and I was taking a bit of time to reflect on that, meaning not much writing done. I mean, I gave you guys Vehicle and Fiance (the latter I seriously regret writing), but that's about it.**

**But enough beating around the bush. I'm admittedly using this story to buy time to write more DFTRM, but at the same time, I hope to continue this as well. I don't really plan on continuing Vehicle, since all I have in mind for that is Dragion/Knightwalker courtship. I mean, I do have at least a couple chapters planned, but it's not really a priority, and I wouldn't really enjoy writing it further than that anyway, since again, Edolas is my least favorite arc in Fairy Tail. And I'll just start the story before I ramble on about all the projects I need to finish.**

**I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

Lucy Heartfilia was having a perfect night. She had completed a mission by herself, she could pay her rent for the next two months, and to top it all off, her boyfriend had been waiting at the station with an invitation to dinner. Said boyfriend was currently lying in bed with her.

Two months had passed since the conclusion of the Grand Magic Games and the thwarting of Arcadios's Eclipse plan. During that time, Lucy had rediscovered a young boy whose life she had unknowingly changed, now a top member of the Sabertooth guild by the name of Sting Eucliffe.

Being from different guilds was a challenge for her and Sting, but they had managed to cope in the short time they were together. About once a week, Sting would find some mission in or close to Magnolia, complete it without incident, and spend a few days with Lucy before returning to Sabertooth.

While visiting, Sting was free to go anywhere as long as he stayed away from Fairy Tail. Lucy knew just how protective her guildmates could be, especially Natsu and Erza, and she didn't want Sting getting in any unnecessary fights. Sting didn't like not showing off his strength, especially as far as his idol was concerned, but he figured Lucy wanted them to date a little longer before she was comfortable enough telling her nakama, a concept which, even after Natsu defeated him, he didn't really understand. But that was where Lucy came in.

Lucy woke up to Sting nuzzling her neck. "Sting... you're still awake?" she asked lazily.

"I tried going to sleep," said Sting. "But your scent is keeping me up." With that, he kissed the nape of her neck.

"Ooooh... Sting," cooed Lucy.

Encouraged by his Treasure's reaction, Sting started to use his tongue, causing Lucy to gasp in surprise, and eventually, pleasure. He used this distraction to massage Lucy's breast. That in itself earned him a moan.

Lucy let herself fall into the sensations. She trusted Sting not to force her into anything she wasn't ready for, and to stop if she felt he was going too far. Still, Lucy encouraged him to push the envelope time and again.

A hand slipped under her nightgown onto her stomach. Lucy purred as Sting's sharp nails scratched her tummy teasingly as Lucy silently begged for more.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open, and Natsu stormed in, loudly saying, "Lucy, you gotta help me with something!"

Lucy screamed, jerking away from Sting before Natsu could comprehend what was going on. "Natsu, can't you see I'm with someone?" she yelled.

Natsu glared at the bed, and Lucy covered her mouth, realizing exactly what she had said. Needless to say, he was not pleased to see the White Dragon of Sabertooth.

"Hey, Natsu-san," said Sting casually.

"What did you do to her, asshole?" demanded Natsu angrily, his flaming fist lighting the room.

"Nothing!" said Sting. "She doesn't even let me near it!"

"WHAT?" Lucy shrieked in shock and disgust.

"Well, he asked what I did to your asshole, so I was just being honest," replied Sting with a smirk.

"I'm pretty sure there was a comma in there somewhere, shithead!" roared Natsu.

"Yeah, Sting! You know there was a comma between 'her' and 'asshole!'" scolded Lucy harshly.

"I know," said Sting. "I just thought it was funny."

"You-!"

Lucy grabbed her Flueve d'etoiles and whipped Natsu, then Sting, swiftly and painfully. She smirked at the sharp cries of pain she drew out of them. "Now shut up, both of you!" she said dangerously.

"Aye," groaned Natsu.

"Yes, ma'am," said Sting, wincing from the pain.

"Good," said Lucy. "Now, Natsu, you needed to talk to me about something?" Natsu nodded.

"Sting, go get a glass of water or something," Lucy ordered. "This sounds private."

"Trust me, Treasure. It's _very_ private," said Sting with a smirk as he left the room.

Once Sting was gone, Natsu glared at Lucy. "Treasure?" he said disapprovingly.

"What exactly did Sting mean by that, Natsu?" demanded Lucy, seemingly ignoring her best friend's distrust of her boyfriend.

Natsu sighed. "I had sex," he said. "With Erza."

Lucy's mouth hung open. Natsu? And Erza? Doing... _that? _How is that even possible?

"You had sex," she repeated.

"Yeah."

"With Erza."

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" Lucy's shock turned to anger. "You mean you left afterwards?"

"Um... yes?" replied Natsu nervously.

"So let me get this straight," demanded Lucy. "You and Erza had sex, and you didn't stay the night."

"Yes," said Natsu. If Erza didn't kill him, Lucy sure as hell would.

"How?" asked Lucy.

Natsu sighed. "Well, we just got back from our training trip, and she invited me up for a shower and a movie," he said.

"Wait, Erza let you into Fairy Hills?" asked Lucy. "I thought men weren't allowed there."

"They are as long as a resident invites them in, and even then they're only restricted to the host's dorm. The rule was mainly implemented to keep the guys from peeping," explained Natsu.

"But if a tenant invites a guy in willingly, that's a different story," Lucy concluded.

"Don't believe me? Ask Master Mavis!" said Natsu. "She made the rule!"

Lucy nodded. "So Erza invited you for a shower and a movie," she said. "Then what?"

"We decided on 'Special Punks,' which she said was the third Lacrima from the left, so I grabbed it, and when she activated it, it turned out to be 'Embers.' I went to stop it, but Erza said it was her favorite movie, so I pretty much said 'screw it' and settled in to watch it."

Lucy knew both those movies. "Special Punks" was your typical action movie, while "Embers" was flat-out romance, complete with a... sex scene! "So then what happened?" she asked, though she could kind of figure it out already.

"Late into the movie, Erza snuggled up to me, saying how the main character reminded her of me," said Natsu. "We kissed, I saw a flash, and next thing I knew, she Requipped into some sexy lingere. We kissed some more, off came the bra, and..."

"Easy, Natsu!" said Lucy suddenly. "I don't need a play-by-play!"

"Sorry," said Natsu. Both mages were blushing heavily.

"Did it hurt?" Lucy asked curiously.

Natsu looked confused. "Why would it hurt? I don't think it's supposed to hurt for the guy," he said.

"Yeah, but... it's Erza," replied Lucy.

"This is true," agreed Natsu.

"So how'd you leave it?" asked Lucy.

"I told her I needed to get home so Happy didn't start to worry," said Natsu. "She seemed to understand, but she still seemed upset with me."

"Well, she just had sex with you, and you didn't even bother to stay over," said Lucy dryly.

"I felt... awkward!" said Natsu. "I mean, I've wanted her ever since the Tower of Heaven, and all I could think about was finding some kind of sign that she wasn't about to kill me!"

"She probably decided she wants to make you suffer before killing you," said Sting from the doorway, two glasses of water in hand. He offered one to Lucy, who took it with a thank you.

"Oi! What about me?" demanded Natsu.

"What about you?" said Sting, causing Natsu to growl.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Lucy. "I mean, you like her, right?

"Yeah," said Natsu.

"What about Erza? Does she like you?"

"She sure seemed to," said Natsu. "I'm gonna ask her tomorrow."

"Oh, no! You're gonna ask her more than that!" said Lucy forcefully.

"What am I gonna ask her?"

"You're gonna ask her out, dumbass!" said Lucy. "You know. On a _date?_"

"A date?" exclaimed Natsu.

"Of course!" said Lucy. "You obviously like her, and if you want her to like you back, you need to make what you did tonight _mean_ something! Get it?"

"Got it!"

"Doubt it," quipped Sting.

"Stop it, Sting," said Lucy sharply. "And as for you, Natsu, you'd better get your sorry butt home before Erza tracks you here and kills me because she thinks you're seeing me!"

"Aye!" said Natsu hastily. Lucy was scary, especially when fearing Erza's wrath. He opened the window to jump out, but stopped short, remembering something.

"By the way, you still need to explain _him,_" said Natsu, pointing at Sting. With that, he jumped out the window.

With Natsu gone, Sting snaked an arm around Lucy. "So where were we, Treasure?" he asked huskily.

"Going to sleep," said Lucy firmly, slipping out of Sting's embrace. "Natsu's my best friend, but he's very tiring, especially with you provoking him. Good night, Sting." She sunk back into her previous position and shut her eyes, making a note to pester Natsu until he finally settled things with Erza.

* * *

**Oh my God, I totally overused the word "asked!"**

**This was kind of awkward for me to write, since even though there will be no outright sex scenes in this story, I am writing about more mature themes than I usually do. Things are made even more awkward by my being a 22-year-old virgin (I refuse to play the abstinence card), so I have no idea how real relationships work. Hell, I think I did all right with ABCs, so here's hoping, huh?**

**Anyway, I should probably get to work on DFTRM now, so until next time, peace and love from Nightlingbolt.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome back to more "Figuring It Out!"**

**Just a heads-up, I'm going to be going back to my old erratic updating habits. I was doing so well with that when I was on the ADHD medication, but my parents and I found I was shorter with people on it, plus I felt more on edge, so we put a stop to that. Not to use it as an excuse or anything, and I was shaken up pretty bad by that incident around Memorial Day weekend... ah, but you guys don't care, you just wanna read my fanfics! Well who am I to stop you, just as long as you enjoy them.**

**I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

For the first time she could remember, Erza found herself fearing going to the guild. But then, she supposed that was what happened when you have an affair with one of your best friends.

She knew she should have kicked Natsu out as soon as he finished his shower. She knew she shouldn't have invited him to watch a movie. But he was tired, she was tired, and she didn't have the energy to be forceful with him, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, how was she supposed to know she had mixed up the Lacrimas for her favorite romance movie and the movie they had wanted to watch in the first place?

Every time she watched "Embers," she would fall head over heels in love with Hiroshi, the male protagonist, for the entire three hours. He was bighearted, strong-willed, loyal... pretty much everything Erza could ever want in a man. But watching it with Natsu, it had suddenly dawned on her that the qualities she loved about Hiroshi, the Dragon Slayer had possessed them as well. So in the heat of the moment, she had willingly given herself to Natsu, and before long, she was lost in the Salamander's pleasure.

Unfortunately, Natsu was uncertain about the consequences of what they had done. He had left not five minutes after their act, claiming that Happy would worry if he didn't come home. Erza knew Happy just as well as anyone else in Fairy Tail did, so she could understand that Natsu didn't want the Exceed to be lonely. But what he didn't seem to understand was that, in the aftermath of carnal affections, Erza would be lonely herself. So she fell asleep feeling slightly resentful of Natsu.

When she woke up that morning, there was no blissful afterglow, no bitterness towards Natsu, only an awkward feeling. Erza felt uncertain of her relationship with Natsu from this point onwards – was this only a one-time thing? Would Natsu avoid her if she broached the subject? Would he even think to?

She shook her head. They both needed time to come to grips with what had happened. She had decided tot take an S-Class mission as soon as the guild opened. Natsu was hardly ever there that early, never mind awake, so if she took a long enough job, she would have ample time to figure out what she wanted to say to him, with the added benefit of the inverse being true as well.

Unfortunately for her, there Natsu was, nursing a cup of coffee at the bar, sitting next to Laxus, and Happy watching from the counter. She hoped he wouldn't notice her...

"Erza!"

"_Shut up, Mirajane!"_ Erza mentally screamed. But the barmaid would not desist, much to her annoyance.

"Natsu, Erza's here," said Mirajane. "You were looking for her, weren't you?"

Natsu didn't seem to hear. His glazed eyes made it evident that he hadn't gotten the full eight hours of sleep.

"Natsu!" said Laxus sharply, administering a weak electric shock in an attempt to wake Natsu up.

"Gah!" shouted Natsu as he jumped up a few feet. Turning his gaze on Laxus, he angrily said, "What the hell, Laxus? You looking for a fight or something?"

"You were looking like a damn zombie, so I shocked you awake! Is that so wrong?" demanded Laxus. "Besides, it's way too early for your bullshit."

"I would've woken up on my own, asshole!" countered Natsu. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of scarlet hair and perked up, remembering why he even wanted to talk to its bearer. "Oi! Erza!" he hollered. "Got a minute?"

Erza stiffened up. "Yes, Master? You wanted to speak to me about something?" asked Erza loudly.

Everyone gave her a blank stare. "Erza... Master left for the regular meeting three days ago," said Mirajane.

"Are you sure things are all right between you guys?" asked Laxus. "Natsu did say he needed to talk to you about last night. Something we need to know about? A fight or anything?"

Now Erza was annoyed. Even though Laxus hadn't pieced together all the information, she was still angry at Natsu for being so casual about it. "No, Laxus. Natsu just wanted to ask about a mission that happened last night," she said. "That's all."

"I thought you guys spent yesterday training," said Happy.

"I agree with Happy," said Mirajane. "What kind of mission takes place at night in Magnolia?"

"A drug bust!" said Natsu quickly, noticing the glare Erza was sending his way. "Erza and I busted up this drug trafficking ring last night! It was awesome! You should've been there!"

"Aww, I'm sorry I missed it!" said Happy, disappointment clear in his voice.

"Yes, and I wanted to go over what Natsu did right and wrong during the mission," said Erza. "Let's go, Natsu. We have much to discuss." With that, she dragged Natsu away by the scarf, biting her lip all the while.

There was no avoiding the issue now.

* * *

When Erza dragged him into the supply room, Natsu rubbed his neck upon being released, partly to ease the pain, but mostly to calm himself down.

"So," he said. "Last night..."

"Yes," agreed Erza. "Last night." Her face turned serious. "Where do we go from here?"

"That depends on you," said Natsu. "And how you feel about it."

"How I feel?" repeated Erza. "In case you've forgotten, you were the one who left immediately after."

"I needed time to think!" said Natsu defensively. "This is a big change in our dynamic!"

"I understand that!" replied Erza sharply. "However, the gentlemanly thing to do would have been to spend the night."

"I was serious about Happy worrying, you know!" said Natsu. "I mean, we didn't exactly plan this!" This was true, Erza realized.

"Fair enough," said Erza. "However, in the future, if we do 'that,' I would appreciate you staying over, as would I were we to do 'that' at your house."

"Fine. I will," said Natsu.

"I'm glad," replied Erza. Awkward silence followed.

"So... you don't think what we did was... a mistake?" asked Natsu nervously.

"I wouldn't say so," said Erza. "But if it was, it was one I wouldn't mind making again. In fact, I look forward to making it again."

Natsu frowned. "You make it sound like we're sex buddies, and I don't really want that," he said.

Erza looked at Natsu with a nervous expression. "You want... a relationship?" she asked.

"Aye," said Natsu. "Ever since the Tower of Heaven, my whole point of view of you has changed. When I saw you crying, broken at Jellal's feet... something just clicked inside of me, and I knew I'd do anything if it meant never seeing you like that again."

At the mention of Jellal's name, Erza felt a knot form in her stomach, with absolutely no idea why. "Look," she said. "I need some time to clear my head regarding this whole situation. I'll give you my answer on Friday."

Natsu opened his mouth to protest, but Erza held up a hand to silence him. "This would be a major change not only in our relationship, but also in my life," she said. "I have to be absolutely sure that this is what I want for myself!" She cupped Natsu's chin in her hand.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear... but I'm only trying to protect myself. Friday, Natsu. You'll know definitively then."

Natsu nodded. He was disappointed with Erza's response, but she made sense in a way he didn't want to understand. "Friday," he said. He walked away. Today was Saturday, so that meant he had to wait a whole week before he knew for sure.

Fuck, this was not going to be a fun week.

* * *

At around ten o'clock, Lucy had arrived at the guild. She would have been there sooner, but she had gone to breakfast with Sting. This was just a quick stopover to reassure her nakama that she was all right before she spent the rest of the day with her boyfriend.

She found Natsu's familiar pink hair, and with it, a depressed Dragon Slayer. She sat down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"She shot you down, huh?" she said. It wasn't a question.

"She's giving me an answer Friday," said Natsu. "That's when she'll be back from her mission."

Lucy felt sorry for her friend. She knew Erza wasn't the type to lead someone on, but making him wait a whole week just to let him know if she would date him? That was excessive to her.

"Hey," said Lucy gently. "It's Erza, right? She wouldn't do that sort of thing with just anybody. You're obviously a very special person in her life. Don't ever forget that, okay?"

This seemed to cheer Natsu up. "You're right, Luce," he said. "I'm glad I have you around."

Lucy smiled. She and Natsu were perfect just the way they are. Why did people insist on them being together?

"So what's the story with you and Sti-" Natsu started to ask, but was shut up by the slashing motions Lucy was making across her throat.

"We're spending the day together, and he's going back tomorrow," said Lucy. "I'll explain everything then."

"You'd better," replied Natsu.

"I will!" protested Lucy. Unfortunately, Mirajane had heard that bit about "spending the day together."

"Ooh, does Lucy have a new boyfriend?" she squealed.

Lucy looked flustered. "Yeah, and I was supposed to meet him ten minutes ago!" she said, getting up hastily. "Don't wait up!" she hollered, speeding out of the guild.

"She's not gonna tell us anything, is she?" asked Mirajane flatly.

"She will eventually," said Natsu.

"Oh well!" said the Demon brightly. "Aat least I can ask about you and Erza!"

Natsu paled. "How did you-?"

"It was written all over your face, Natsu!" said Mirajane. "Come on! Details, Dragon!"

Natsu sighed. If there was one thing worse than Mirajane finding out about your relationships, it was her finding out you did the dirty with them. Natsu was caught between a rock and a hard place, and the barmaid wouldn't leave him alone until she knew everything.

He just hoped Erza had it in her to understand the Demon's wrath.

* * *

**Hah, a little humor to alleviate the drama Natsu's going through.**

**Again, fanfic updates will start being erratic again, just because I want my schedule to suit my creativity... All right, fine, I didn't end up finishing Chapter 5 of DFTRM! Happy? But hey, at least I have the conveniently timed excuse of wanting to wait for the next chapter to see if Wendy uses any new spells I could implement. Even though I already have a general idea of how I'm gonna write her fight.**

**So that's another chapter from me! Until next time, peace and love from Nightlingbolt!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome back to more "Figuring It Out!"**

**So I'm back to my irregular upload schedule. I just finished this chapter, and it feels good posting it right away for once! That's pretty much what I'm comfortable with. You get it when it's ready.**

**In regards to the chapter, this is the most I've written for one chapter in a while. 2,354 words, that's kind of sad. I always strive for 1,000 words minimum, but it always feels so short when I read it. Oh well, quality over quantity, right? Well, I'll let you be the judge. However, I reserve the right to plead insanity. ... Never mind!**

**I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

For the rest of the day, Natsu decided he would hang out at Lucy's place. So far, he and Happy had thumbed through her novel's latest chapter, eaten pretty much all of her food, and he was just waking up from a nice, long nap in her bed.

Natsu always did enjoy hanging out with Lucy. Even before he started pining after Erza, in the early days of her guild membership, he really didn't understand why everyone thought they made a good couple. Sure, he got his best sleep in Lucy's bed, but at the end of the day, she was just another one of his nakama. Hell, he'd sleep in Gray's bed if it meant sleeping half as good as he did in Lucy's – and if Gray didn't sleep in the nude.

Which is why Natsu didn't like the idea of Lucy with Sting. The bastard had killed his dragon – his own PARENT – all for the sake of power! Who's to say he wouldn't break Lucy's heart if it meant he could become stronger? No, the Sabertooth mage was definitely not trustworthy.

_**Isn't that what you said about Gajeel?**_

_I thought I got rid of you, you bastard._

_**I'm part of you. I don't disappear easily, and never for long.**_

_So what do you want?_

_**You got to know Gajeel. Maybe Sting won't be so bad if you get to know him too.**_

Honestly, if it weren't for that inner Natsu, Natsu would probably have gotten himself killed already. But he would never admit that.

_**You just did, retard.**_

"Fuck off already!" yelled Natsu.

"Hello to you, too, Natsu," said Lucy's deadpan voice from the doorway.

Natsu blushed, realizing he had basically told no one to "fuck off" in front of Lucy, and in her own home. "Oh. Hey Luce," he said sheepishly.

Sting looked at the bed, which Natsu was currently sitting on. "You do realize Lucy and I have... done things on that bed, right?" he said.

"WHAT?" Natsu exclaimed angrily, moving in to attack Sting.

Lucy hit Sting on the head, then grabbed Natsu's shoulders to try and calm him down. "Calm down, Natsu!" she said. "We haven't done anything that bad yet. And if my boyfriend keeps antagonizing my best friend, we're not going to do anything for a good long while! Got it?"

Sting found himself flinching at Lucy's harsh glare. He instantly found himself agreeing to her demand to shut up.

"Sting-kun really likes you, Lucy-chan!" said Lector. "He doesn't listen to other girls like he listens to you!"

"Aye!" agreed Happy. "Lucy's really scary when she wants to be."

"Ha! Weak Fairy Tail cat!" taunted Lector. "I'm not scared of her at all!"

"Trust me, Lector. My Treasure is fierce when she needs to be," said Sting with a grin. Natsu fixed a disapproving glare on the other Dragon Slayer, essentially saying "Don't get too familiar, asshole." Sting, however, either didn't notice or didn't care.

"How did you guys end up together?" asked Happy. "Does Loke know you're doing it with another guy?" There was a mischievous glint in the blue Exceed's eyes.

That got Sting's attention. "Loke? Who the hell is Loke?" he demanded.

"One of my Spirits," said an annoyed Lucy. "He likes to flirt with me, but that's all our relationship is! I swear!"

"Okay, good," said Sting. "Last thing I need is to find out I'm the other guy."

"You shouldn't even be a guy at all," said Natsu.

"So I should be a girl?" asked Sting. "Sounds nice, but I don't think I want big boobs giving me back problems."

"Zing!" said Lector. Cat and owner exchanged a high five.

Lucy sighed. "I did promise you an explanation, Natsu," she said. "Well, here it is."

"Lu-chan?" called a female voice suddenly.

Lucy paled. "Oh, crap! That's Levy!" she whispered in a panic. "I forgot I lent her a book!"

"So... just take it back," said Sting.

"No, you idiot! I don't want anyone in the guild to know about us yet!" said Lucy. "Even Natsu's not supposed to know as it is!"

"Thanks!" interjected Natsu.

"And that's not even counting Happy's inability to keep a secret!"

"I can so keep a secret!" complained Happy. "Natsu kissed Gray on a dare, and I've kept that secret for four years now! Eleven if you count Tenrou Island!"

"Except now it's not a secret anymore," Lector pointed out. Happy's only response was an embarrassed "Oops," much to the other Exceed's amusement.

"One of these days, Happy..." mumbled Natsu. He put a comforting hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"It's Levy," he said. "You trust her with your novel, so you can trust her with this asshat, right?"

Lucy smiled. Best friends always knew just what to say. Turning to the door, she announced to Levy that she was in the bedroom.

"What the crap is an asshat?" asked Sting.

"You?" said Natsu.

"That doesn't really help me, Natsu-san."

"Good."

"Lu-chan, what's going on?" asked Levy as she entered the room. "Your door was open, and..."

The petite Solid Script mage dropped the book she was holding at the sight of Sting. "St-Sting Eucliffe!" she exclaimed. "You're one of those Dragon Slayers from Sabertooth!"

"Last time I checked, Levy-san," said Sting.

Levy took out her magic pen. "What are you doing in Lu-chan's house?" she demanded.

"Um... visiting my girlfriend?" replied Sting, oblivious to how threatened Levy was by him.

Levy gasped. "G—g-girlfriend?" she stammered in shock. "Lu-chan is your _girlfriend?_"

"Yup," confirmed Sting. "Since about a week after the Games."

"But... When...? Why...? How...?" Levy was too shocked to ask a coherent question.

"I was just about to explain it to Natsu," said Lucy. "It started about a year before I joined Fairy Tail. I had just left home several weeks ago when I came across a little boy in dirty clothes..."

"That would be me," said Sting. "You know, just in case you couldn't tell. Seven-year timeskip and all."

"How stupid do you think we are?" shouted Natsu.

"Pretty stupid, actually," replied Sting.

"You bastard! I'm gonna-!"

"Solid Script: Bind!" shouted Levy, writing the word twice, one each to wrap around Natsu and Sting, effectively immobilizing them.

"What the hell, Levy?" yelled Natsu.

"Yeah, what did I do?" demanded Sting.

"You provoked him!" said Levy sharply. "I'm not letting a fight break out in Lu-chan's house!"

"She's pretty much used to it by now, between Natsu and Gray," said Happy.

"So it's my fault he makes it so easy?" pouted Sting.

The idiocy between her friends was starting to grate on Lucy's nerves. "May I PLEASE continue speaking?" she demanded.

"Of course, Lu-chan!" said Levy brightly.

"All right then," said Lucy. "And not a word until I finish speaking. That means you, Sting!" Her boyfriend nodded timidly, and Lucy continued her story, but not before musing about how scared the White Dragon of Sabertooth was of his girlfriend.

Men.

"Well, the short version is, I invited Sting back to where I was staying so we could both get cleaned up. We got to talking about why we ran away, and Sting told me his reasons – but that's not my story to tell."

"Thank you," said Sting.

"I told Sting I was running away because my father had arranged a marriage for me just to strengthen his business ties, especially emphasizing how furious I was with him!" said Lucy. "And when I finished speaking, Sting said the cutest thing to me!"

Sting groaned. He knew what Lucy was talking about. "Lucy, no! Please don't say it!"

Lucy grinned. "Fine. You say it then," she said.

"No! Natsu-san will never let me live this down!" whined Sting.

"I'll make it worth your whi~le," said Lucy in a singsong voice, squeezing her breast for added emphasis.

Sting hesitated. Was his girl really worth his manhood?

That was when Lucy started licking the back of her hand. Of course she was, he admitted to himself.

"I told Lucy that..." He growled to himself. "Someday when I was old enough... I'd marry her myself so that wouldn't happen..."

"Kyahh! That is so cuuuuute!" squealed Levy. Meanwhile, Natsu and the two Exceeds had burst into laughter, Levy's spell having worn off in her excitement.

Sting snarled at the males laughing at his expense. "Say one word of this to anyone, and I'll tear you all to shreds, no matter who spills the beans!" he threatened.

"Aye, sir!" said Natsu, struggling to regain control of himself.

"So how did you two end up dating?" asked Levy.

"There's not much to say about that," said Lucy. "I asked him out after his fight with Natsu. He shot me down at first, but I brought _that_ up, and it all seemed to click for him." She pulled Sting close to her. "It was nice to see that he's still that same cute little boy I remembered deep down inside!" With that, she placed a peck on Sting's cheek.

The White Dragon of Sabertooth blushed, partially from his girlfriend's kiss, but mostly from the embarrassment of such a blatant display of affection in front of his enemies. "Don't you Fairies have a mission or something?" he snapped.

Natsu brightened up. "That's right! We still need to pay Lucy's rent!" he said.

"Aye! Lucy's too weak to do any jobs herself!" said Happy.

"I'll have you know that I'm learning all sorts of cool spells!" said Lucy defensively.

This piqued Sting's interest. "You didn't tell me you were in training, Treasure," he said.

"You keep getting stronger every day, Luce," said Natsu. "Glad to see you're keeping your nose to the grindstone!"

"You're really an inspiration, Lu-chan!" said Levy. "If you can get stronger, so can I, and that's saying something!"

"Yeah, uh... elephant in the room time, but I could've broken out of that binding spell any time I wanted," said Sting. "So yeah, that is kind of saying something."

"...You didn't have to agree with me," pouted Levy.

Lucy blushed at Natsu's kind words. It's always nice to hear someone praise your strength. "Thanks, Natsu," she said. "But I'm not that great yet."

"I'll bet you are!" insisted Natsu. He got into a battle stance. "Come on, hit me with a spell!"

"What?" exclaimed a surprised Lucy. "No! I'm not just gonna blast you for no reason!"

"Fine then," said Natsu. "I'll just have to give you a reason!" With that, he made a beeline for Lucy's drawer and started tossing out her underwear left and right.

"Natsu!" she yelled. "Natsu, if you don't stop going through my underwear _right now-!_" She was cut off by a particularly skimpy thong to the face, which only served to fuel her rage.

"Sting! Do something!" she demanded. He was her boyfriend, he should care if someone's going through her underwear!

Sting, however, saw Natsu's plan, and decided to play along. You know, just so he could confirm she was up to a Sabertooth mage's standards.

Wait, shouldn't that be _his_ standards?

"_Dammit,"_ Sting thought. _"I really do love this girl."_

He picked up the thong. "How come I've never seen you in this?" he asked.

That was enough to push Lucy over the edge. Instinctively, she held up her palm, and a purple orb of light formed. "Urano!" she yelled. The orb fired at Natsu, causing a small explosion.

Natsu got up after being blasted down. He looked a little damaged, but he had a big grin on his face. "Wow! That was awesome, Lucy!" he praised the Celestial mage.

"Aye!" agreed Happy. "That was enough to completely destroy a dresser!"

Lucy looked horrified. Happy was right! Her clothes, her outfits... her _unmentionables_ were all in a pile where her dresser used to be! And to add insult to injury, that dresser was an antique!

Finally losing her patience, she grabbed Natsu by the shirt and tossed him outsider her door yelling "GET OUT!" Happy knew better than to risk provoking Lucy further, and so flew out after his partner as the Celestial Mage slammed the door behind him.

"That was kind of hot," growled Sting huskily.

"Shut up and get me the laundry baskets," said Lucy, not in the mood for her boyfriend's advances. Sting flinched and went to do as she had asked.

It was weird, Sting mused. He was the strongest mage in the strongest guild, and here he was slowly figuring out that power meant nothing against a strong-willed woman.

Turning her gaze onto Levy, Lucy said, "So, you're not going to tell the guild about me and Sting yet, right? I'm kind of worried they'll do something crazy. Worst-case scenario, a guild war breaks out."

"I don't think it'll go to that extreme," said Levy. "But Erza and the others aren't going to be able to trust him if you don't let them get to know him. I was just as cautious of Gajeel as anyone else when he joined, but now I can't imagine Fairy Tail without him. It's the same with Sting. You need to present him as not just a mage from a rival guild, but a real person, just like you and me. And besides, just because Sting might make everyone crazy, that doesn't mean they won't support your relationship."

Lucy let Levy's words sink in. So what if Sting was from Sabertooth? He had a human side to him! Fairy Tail of all guilds should be able to realize that! Hell, Jellal had committed all sorts of atrocities under Ultear's possession, yet her guild still viewed them as comrades once they made the choice to repent!

"Thanks, Levy," she said. "I'll tell everyone once Erza gets back."

"Bring those weak Fairies on!" said Lector arrogantly. "I'm not afraid of 'em, and neither is Sting-kun!"

"That's right, Lector," praised Sting, holding two laundry baskets in his hands. "I won't let Fairy Tail intimidate me. What's the worst they could do?"

Lucy exchanged an evil glance with Levy. From there, the two girls told Sting and Lector horror stories of their guildmates, particularly Erza. The look on their faces was, for want of a better word, priceless.

* * *

**There! That's about twice as long as my chapters usually are!**

**I had fun with this! Maybe it's flanderization on my part, but Sting is just so fun to write! However, do keep in mind that this story occurs after the Games, so Sting's character isn't fully developed yet. Also, part of me wants to throw in some RoguexYukino, but Yukino's fate is too uncertain for that, so even though none of this is actually canon, I don't want to use a character who I don't know if they will be alive by the arc's end. She could join Mermaid Heel, she could join Fairy Tail, she could rejoin Sabertooth, or she could just up and die. Honestly, the Yukino situation is kind of unstable.**

**Now then, onto the magic Lucy used! You're all aware of Lucy's use of Urano Metria, the "Ultimate Magic of the Stars," right? Well, I got to thinking, what if that was part of a whole other branch of Celestial magic?**

**So how did Lucy learn this branch of magic? Well, Hibiki approached Lucy at some point during the Games, commenting on her use of Urano Metria, even though he only gave her a one-time use. From there, he offered her a download of a few similar, but much more basic spells, and she accepted, believing it would make her strong enough to fight alongside her Spirits. The spell she used, Urano, is the most basic form of this kind of magic. More advanced forms can be used in accordance with the caster's proficiency in this spell relative to his or her overall Magic Power.**

**So yeah, I'll be having Lucy use this kind of magic mixed in with her Celestial Spirits for this story. Not that I plan for that many action scenes, but just so you're aware in case one with her does crop up.**

**Anyway, that about does it for this chapter. Until next time, peace and love from Nightlingbolt!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome back for another chapter of "Figuring It Out!"**

**So yeah, not nearly as long as last time, but this is more of a drama chapter than anything else, with Erza mediating the fight between her feelings for Jellal and Natsu. Also, I really hope I characterized Bacchus properly, I think he'd have a great dynamic with Erza if Mashima would just develop it more. So let's see how it turned out.**

**I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

It wasn't every night Erza found herself in a bar. Of course, it wasn't every day she failed a job, either. Yes, you read that right. Erza Scarlet, feared Titania of Fairy Tail, had failed a job.

Perhaps she had used the wrong Requip for the situation. No, every instinct told her that Flight Armor's increased speed was perfect for the type of monster she was to slay. Maybe she had misread the enemy's movements. That could be true, but they seemed so obvious in hindsight! What if she...?

Oh, who the fuck was she kidding? She failed because she was letting thoughts of her love life take over her mind!

Ever since Natsu had told her how he had felt differently for her ever since saving her from Jellal, thoughts of the ex-Wizard Saint had begun to crop up. In her head and in her heart, Jellal and Natsu were fighting for dominance.

Erza thought she had quashed these destructive feelings she held for Jellal, first when he was thought dead, then when he was arrested by the Council, and finally when he pushed her away after the kiss they had shared. He had even disappeared with his guild, much like she imagined the Dragons to have disappeared from their Slayers, in an effort to keep Fairy Tail from being connected to Crime Sorciere.

Erza didn't understand! Even when Jellal took great care to stay out of her heart, he always seemed to snake his way back in! Why in Mavis Vermillion's holy name couldn't she learn how to quit Jellal Fernandes?

And Natsu wasn't exactly making things any better himself. Every time she had buried her feelings for Jellal, feelings for Natsu would sprout in their place. It had happened several times already – the Tower, Nirvana, the training camp, the Eclipse incident, even the first time they met. In those days, she truly hated Jellal for what he had done, and Natsu had reminded her so much of Jellal she couldn't help but feel attracted to him. His kind eyes, his soft voice, his bright attitude... if he had known Jellal before his fall, they would've been the best of friends.

But ever since their one-night stand, Erza felt guilty over what she and Natsu had done. Part of her thought of Natsu as a consolation prize, someone to fill the void that Jellal couldn't feel. Those thoughts plagued her. Really, Natsu was one of her best friends in the guild. He had seen that which could make her weak, and he never judged her once for it. Rather, he took it upon himself to protect her from the source of her pain – from Jellal.

"Never took you for a drinker," said a voice from next to Erza. The knight looked up and saw Bacchus, her rival from Quartro Cerberus, and the one who had defeated the monster that she had failed to in her own stupidity. "It's a shame. When I think of all the drinking contests we could've had... I think our score would've been settled a long time ago."

"Shut up, Bacchus!" said Erza harshly, the alcohol clearly getting to her. "No one asked you to save me!"

"Didn't think I needed to," replied Bacchus after taking a drink from his own bottle. "Normally you can take out a monster like that in your sleep. It's your own fault." He frowned and added, "Now what's messing with that wild spirit of yours, huh?"

Erza sighed. Her logical mind knew that Bacchus had nothing to do with her dilemma, but at this point, all she cared about was that he was willing to listen. "Have you ever... you know, found yourself torn between someone you want but can't have and someone who's always been there for you?" she asked.

Bacchus thought for a second. "Nope, can't say I have," he replied. "See, I don't believe in romance or anything like that. I know I'll find that one special lady that can tame my wild spirit someday, but until then, I have nothing to live for but life itself."

He took another drink and then continued. "I don't know your exact relationship with these two guys is, but when it comes to women, I always take one I can be my wild self around. Get what I'm saying, Erza?"

Erza's drunken mind processed Bacchus's words and related them to the two men currently waging war in her heart. With Jellal, she lived in fear – not of him, but of his fate. They both knew he couldn't keep running forever, and she always feared that day when they would have to say their final goodbye.

With Natsu, however, she felt free. Free to laugh, joke, and beat him senseless, and at the end of the day, the bond they shared – and to a slightly lesser extent, the bond she shared with Fairy Tail as a whole – would be stronger than the day before, but not as strong as the day after. Her only worry with Natsu was keeping him and Gray from killing each other.

"I think I getcha now," said Erza with a loopy grin.

"Attagirl!" said Bacchus with a smile. Sometimes he'd forgotten that he had an extra seven years of life experience on her. Sharing that experience with the young crowd made being a mage worth every minute for him. With that sobering thought, the two S-Class mages shared a toast and laughed and drank into the night.

* * *

When Erza woke up the next morning, she had a massive hangover and two questions: how much did she have to drink last night, and why did she agree to drink with Bacchus, a man who could even outdrink Cana, of all people?

Seeing painkillers and a glass of water on her nightstand, she smiled. Of course Bacchus would know how to deal with a hangover. She took them and assessed the week's events.

The mission was a failure, at least for her. Bacchus had stepped in when she had been attacked in her distractions, so he would claim the reward solely for himself. The trip into the town took a full day, the day after that was meant for gathering information about the monster, and the third day was meant for slaying the monster itself, with two days to recover should she need it. However, the worst injury she had sustained was being knocked out, with only the timely intervention of Bacchus saving her from anything more serious. She had been checked by the town doctor for signs of a concussion and passed all the tests given to her, so there was nothing to stop her from returning to Magnolia.

And to Natsu.

She would have to be careful with how she and Natsu entered into this budding relationship. The things they did not more than a week ago would have to be pushed to the side at first. They knew each other well as teammates and as nakama, but they needed to get to know each other better as a man and a woman. That meant going on dates and generally spending time together, away from the guild if at all possible.

Of course, there would be several variables that would serve to either strengthen or impede the relationship, but Erza was confident in her ability to deal with them. Despite having feelings for both Jellal and Natsu, the latter was the obvious choice, not because Jellal's fugitive status made a healthy relationship impossible, but because she acknowledged Jellal's efforts to free them both of their terrible past. If Erza truly loved Jellal, he wouldn't let his efforts at obtaining their mutual freedom be for nothing. They both trusted Natsu to make that dream a reality, and it intimidated Erza slightly to think that soon, she would trust him with so much more.

Having gathered her resolve, Erza stepped into the shower. Tomorrow would be Friday, and she looked forward to giving Natsu the reply he was waiting for.

* * *

**Yeah, not really exciting, huh? But don't worry, I have some drama planned out in the next chapter.**

**I feel like I should introduce Jellal into this story, just because I don't want the story arc to decay now that Erza has some clarity. Thing is, I would have no idea how to introduce him with the situation I've laid out for him. I suppose Crime Sorciere are all powerful mages capable of maintaining Transformation magic for long periods of time... nah, I kind of want that to be its own story.**

**You know what? If you guys can give me a good enough excuse for Jellal to show up, I'll write that in. Until next time, peace and love from Nightlingbolt.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome to the next exciting chapter of... Figuring It Out!**

**This is the last thing I'll post before I leave for vacation, and probably the last thing I post for a week depending on whether I can get online. See, we're staying at a motel in Maine until Friday, and I don't know if Wifi is offered there, so... yeah, I'll see what I can do. I'm taking my laptop either way, so if they don't, I can at least design the characters for an original story I'm thinking of writing.**

**As for this story, I wanted to make it a little more dramatic than this, but the characters wouldn't have any of it. Ah well, I've never been good with drama, even in real life. Damn my pacifist nature. Oh well, enjoy.**

**I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

By Thursday afternoon, Natsu had regained his usual vigor for the most part. He had gone back to fighting with Gray, fishing with Happy, and generally being the loudmouth that everyone in Fairy Tail loved.

Currently, Natsu was having a laugh with Lucy about something funny Gajeel had said. He howled in laughter, his fist accidentally hitting Gray as he walked by. "Watch where you're swinging that thing, Candle Brain!" the ice mage yelled.

"You watch where you're walking, Popsicle Head!" Natsu shot back.

"I shouldn't have to watch my walking just because you're too stupid to pay attention!" said Gray angrily.

"Oh, so it's my fault you're not being careful?"

"It's your fault for not caring about your surroundings!"

"You're asking for a knuckle sandwich, Stripper!"

"Bring it on, Flamehead!" Gray tore off his shirt as he prepared a spell.

"Hey!" yelled Lucy. "Knock it off!" She fixed her two male friends a menacing glare that almost had Erza's force behind it.

"Aye!" the boys said as one, wrapping an arm around each other.

"Good," said Lucy. "You wouldn't want to give Erza a reason to reject you, right, Natsu?"

"Well... when you put it that way..."

Gray did a double-take. Did he hear Lucy right? "Wait, since when was Erza interested in THAT moron?" he said in disbelief.

"Gray, shut up!" hissed Natsu as he hit Gray. "You want the whole guild to hear you?"

"What if I do?" smirked Gray.

"You wouldn't!" growled Natsu.

"And he won't!" hissed Lucy as she grabbed Gray's hair. She had learned long ago that Gray and Natsu were physical people, and Erza had stressed the importance of not being afraid to be physical in order to discipline them.

"Aah! Fine! I won't! Just let go of my goddamn hair!" complained Gray. Lucy let go without another word.

"So seriously," said Gray as he rubbed his scalp. "Why's Erza so interested in you all of a sudden?"

"What's it to you?" asked Natsu irritably.

"He and Erza did... things... about a week ago, and now Natsu's waiting for Erza to tell him whether she wants to pursue a relationship," explained Lucy.

Natsu made a face. "Thanks, Lucy," he muttered.

"Oh come on!" said Lucy. "It's just Gray. He's not gonna say anything."

Gray, however, looked more concerned than he really should. "By 'things,' does she mean... sex?"

"Like I said, none of your damn business," said Natsu.

"When did he say that?" Lucy asked no one in particular. Noticing Gray wanted to say something, she asked if something was wrong. Gray hesitated and said, "No. Nothing." Lucy didn't look convinced, but she decided it was better to leave well enough alone.

She clapped her hands together. "I'm gonna see if there's a quick mission we can do," she said. "I'll be right back." She walked off to the job board, leaving the two boys alone.

Suddenly, Gray put his arm on Natsu's shoulder. The Dragon Slayer was about to complain, but he noticed his rival's serious face, and any words he had died instantly.

"I did have something to say," said Gray. "But not in front of Lucy. Or the guild for that matter. Let's go somewhere private."

* * *

Gray led Natsu out to the back of the guild building. He hoped he was wrong about this – no, he _knew_ he was wrong – but Natsu needed to be aware of the possibility.

"First of all, promise me you're going to take what I have to say with a grain of salt," said Gray. "As much as I enjoy fighting you, I don't want us fighting over this."

"Yeah, sure, I promise," said Natsu.

"I mean it, man," said Gray in a more serious tone. "I like our fights better when they're over petty things." He sighed. "I don't say this often, but you're like my brother. Screw it, you _are_ my brother. I'm just trying to protect you both."

"Gray, what?" said Natsu, troubled by how Gray was acting. "Say it or I'll force it out of you!"

Gray sighed. "Have you ever given thought to the idea that you're just second prize to Erza?" he asked, bracing himself for Natsu's fist.

Natsu's jaw dropped. "...What?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"We both know how Erza feels about Jellal," said Gray. "And neither of us are Jellal. We're not as strong as him, and we're not as smart as him. At least I know you're not, Candle Brain."

"You ain't exactly a supergenius yourself, Snow Cone," replied Natsu. He knew the truth in what Gray was saying, and he knew this particular exchange of insults was his way of making him feel better.

"Look," said Gray. "All I'm trying to say is, I don't want my two best friends to be together if one of them is just settling."

"Thanks, Gray. Really." said Natsu as he forced a smile. "But hey, this is Erza. Since when has she settled for anything?"

"Yeah, but even if it is Erza... this is love we're talking about here," said Gray. "Love can make you do crazy things. Things you wouldn't dream of doing otherwise." He sighed. Just make sure you know what you're getting into, man. This isn't a fight, after all. Or at least it's not a fight you can win with fists and magic."

"Yeah," said Natsu.

No one said anything for a while. Finally, Natsu spoke. "You should go and meet Lucy back inside. I'm heading home."

"What? But you're always up for a mission!" said Gray in surprise.

"Just not feeling it today," said Natsu.

Gray frowned. "Because of what I said?"

"It's just words, Captain Igloo," said Natsu. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

Gray wanted to protest further, but the tone in his rival's voice brooked no room for argument. "All right," he said. "See you tomorrow?"

"I'll kick your ass then for sure, Slushface," said Natsu.

"Fat chance, Charcoal Breath," replied Gray in kind. Only when he was alone did he speak again.

"I don't know what Erza sees in that moron. All I know is, it's gotta be something special. Something that I'll never have. All I can do now is protect them both the best I can." He reached into his pocket, only to find that what he sought wasn't there.

"Sometimes I wish I hadn't quit smoking," he sighed.

* * *

Natsu had spent the rest of the day on a fishing trip with Happy. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Gray's words did shake him up a bit, and even after trying to clear his head for the rest of the day, he still found himself thinking about them after

What if Gray was right? What if, even unintentionally, Erza was merely using him to fill the void Jellal had left in her heart? Sure, things were going just fine as is, but what would happen if he woke up tomorrow to find that Jellal Fernandes was a free man, with no need to hide anymore?

The thought gnawed at him, but he brushed it off. It was just like Lucy said. If Erza was willing to let Natsu into her bed, she obviously saw something in him that Jellal didn't have. But besides freedom, what did Natsu have that Jellal did not?

He wasn't strong; he had only defeated the ex-Wizard Saint by eating Etherion (never again, Natsu promised himself), and he still couldn't beat Erza in a fight, even if she admitted he was getting there.

He wasn't smart; the only reason he could read and write was because of Erza's intervention, though between Lucy and Levy, he had read quite a number of books – again, mostly thanks to Erza, who had either promised him a fight with every book he read or threatened to beat him senseless if he didn't read a book he didn't like.

He liked to think he was good-looking, but he was nowhere near the level of sophistication Jellal as Siegrain once possessed. Hell, Siegrain was a Mage You'd Like To Have As Your Boyfriend for God's sake! Then again, so was Loke, so why didn't he ever have a chance?

Suddenly, Natsu sat up as his bedroom door opened, and in walked Erza, wearing a plain, yet alluring nightgown. It was obvious to even Natsu's admittedly simple mind what the Titania had in mind for him.

"Uhhh... hey, Erza!" said Natsu nervously. He wasn't as nervous the first time, which somehow seemed to make it harder the second time.

"Hi, Natsu," replied Erza sweetly, causing Natsu to gulp.

"So..." he said. "Why are you here?"

"It's Friday," said Erza, climbing on the bed.

Natsu gave a look of recognition, remembering what Erza had said to him a week ago. "And?" he asked hopefully.

Erza replied by crawling over to Natsu, cupping his face in her hands, and planting a kiss on his lips. She pulled away whispering, "You have your answer." She then kissed him again, this time more forceful than before.

Natsu replied in kind by sticking out his tongue. He practically demanded entrance, something Erza was only too willing to give. He was just bold enough to pinch at a nipple, eliciting a soft moan from Erza.

And just like that, all of Natsu's earlier worries had been laid to rest, if only for the moment. Resolving to leave his questions for another time, he ran his hot tongue alongside Erza's neck, delighting in the scarlet-haired mage's coos of pleasure.

* * *

**Damn, did I really write that ending? Of course I did, it was only twenty minutes ago! Shut up, Chris!**

**Writing the scene with Natsu and Gray, I remembered writing "Like Rain on Your Birthday" and thinking Gray was a rather bland character. Now that I write him interacting with Natsu, I got to experience a whole other side of him, and it felt good.**

**Well, I better get this posted before it gets too late, since I don't think I'll be able to from tomorrow until Thursday, so until I know for sure, peace and love from Nightlingbolt.**


End file.
